The inhibition of xylanase enzymes by oligosaccharides produced during the degradation of biopolymers in biomass

Abstract

The primary component of hemicellulose is xylan and its derivatives, which represent a significant abundance of natural polymers on Earth. The activity of xylanases can be inhibited by natural oligosaccharides. The findings of the molecular modeling and docking experiments lend support to the hypothesis that three xylanase enzymes, which are taxonomically distinct and exhibit disparate sequences and three-dimensional structures, are similarly inhibited by natural oligosaccharides. Non-branched (linear) oligosaccharides exert a competitive inhibitory effect on the activity of xylanases. Even at low concentrations, branched oligosaccharides inhibit xylanase activity in a non-competitive manner, even at low concentrations. Oligosaccharides comprising a minimum number of subunits (triose, tetrose, and pentose) exert a particularly potent inhibitory effect on the activity of xylanases. The new results offer a molecular rationale for the findings reported in previously published scientific and industrial communications in peer-reviewed journals. The future of this field of research lies in a symbiotic relationship between theoretical and practical experimentation, which represents a promising avenue for research that can advance and establish environmental protection. The characterized inhibitors produced during the degradation of biomass have been demonstrated to reduce the effective hydrolysis of biomass, thereby preventing the optimal extraction of the energy inherent in the biomass. The recovery of energy from biomass can be enhanced by the removal of the inhibitors or the mitigation of their effects.